Media, entertainment and culture
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Media, entertainment and culture

We have worked with the industry for almost 100 years and have one of the most recognised and solid professional environments within media, entertainment and culture.

Legal expertise in the entertainment industry

What distinguishes us from other firms is the array of services our lawyers handle. We have extensive experience and expertise in film and TV, publishing, media companies, gaming, music, art, culture, museums, experience centres, opera and theatre. Bull is involved in many of Norway’s major film and TV projects, from planning through to launch. We also assist both large and small international productions when they come to Norway to film.

We have solid experience with the industry agreements and contracts applicable across the different sectors. We assist Norwegian, Nordic, and international stakeholders with both local and cross-border projects, and we also work closely with lawyers in our international networks, ensuring local expertise in the countries relevant to the engagement.

Our services include, among other things:

Great rankings and satisfied clients

The ranking agency Chambers and Partners rates the team in Band 3, stating that "Bull houses a well-known TMT department with particular expertise in the media and IT landscape. TV and film studios regularly seek the firm's assistance with all media-related issues."

The team is also ranked in The Legal 500 (Tier 3). Read more about what our clients say about us here.

  • Bull is notable for strategic thinking, while consistently delivering high-quality work. I value their dedication and collaborative spirit.
  • Bull & Co Advokatfirma AS is absolutely a fantastic solution partner with sharp sector knowledge and smart commercial approach.
  • Bull is unique due to its diverse and high expertise and collaborative approach. They prioritise responsiveness and tailored solutions.
  • A great pleasure to work with, really understands us as customers and has a wide understanding of our business and how we operate.
  • Bull is notable for strategic thinking, while consistently delivering high-quality work. I value their dedication and collaborative spirit.

Useful insight

  • The people in front of and behind the camera are at the heart of every production. For example, performers (such as actors) and producers have specific exclusive rights under the Norwegian Copyright Act. This means that all contributions to a production must always be cleared, whether for drama or documentary. In practice, clearance is often handled through agreements with screenwriters, directors, actors, crew, extras, and other contributors, in return for an agreed fee. We are well acquainted with the industry’s collective bargaining agreements and standard framework agreements. Contracts need to be robust and should be quality-assured by lawyers with extensive industry experience.

  • Anyone who is photographed or shown on screen has a right to their own image under Section 104 of the Norwegian Copyright Act. This means that, as a general rule, the use of identifiable individuals must always be cleared. In documentaries, certain uses may also be covered by the right of quotation under Section 29 of the Norwegian Copyright Act. However, quotation assessments must be robust and should be quality-assured by lawyers with extensive industry experience.

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) raises two particularly persistent issues: what the model is trained on (input) and what it generates (output). The use of copyrighted material in training data is a contested topic internationally, with different rules and exceptions across jurisdictions. On the output side, AI-generated text, images, audio, and video may come too close to existing works, characters, or distinctive expressions—creating a risk of rights infringement. For productions, this means you should maintain control over which tools are used, what sources underpin them, and which rights have actually been cleared.

  • A good risk-mitigating step is to establish clear routines: (i) assess whether AI-generated content should be labelled in line with applicable transparency requirements (particularly in the EU), (ii) obtain the necessary consents when using a person’s image/likeness or voice — including for “lookalikes” or imitative voices, and (iii) ensure logging and documentation of where and how AI has been used in the production. This should also be set out contractually with suppliers and contributors, so that the process can be verified if questions arise later on.

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